


But Talking Enough

by everythingsshiny



Series: Communication [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Nightmares, Oral Sex, and one incredibly bad joke, dense losers who can't understand feelings at all, domestic shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 08:18:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2341436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythingsshiny/pseuds/everythingsshiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi and Erwin move in together when they retire from the Survey Corps. Living together is surprisingly easy, but communicating feelings is, as usual, exceptionally hard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But Talking Enough

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a direct sequel of No Longer Speaking, the first fic in the "Communication" series. If you plan to read this one, I strongly recommend you read that first. This fic won't make much sense if you don't.
> 
> Both fics in this series originally written for my dear friend Ame, who gave me the prompt for No Longer Speaking and then insisted I write a more explicit follow-up.
> 
> This is my first time publishing anything remotely porny and I dearly hope it goes well.

The house where they’ll live out their retirement is a small thing just inside wall Rose. The place is really more of a cottage than a house, with a kitchen, a sitting room, a small garden, and two bedrooms. It’s located on a quiet side-street, their neighbors on the left a young couple without any children yet and the neighbors on the right an elderly couple whose children have already gone. No one watches or gossips as the Survey Corps’ commander and humanity’s strongest move in together.

They had both purchased a small amount of furniture for the separate houses they thought they would inhabit, and now they combined their purchases together. It made for some confusion—they wound up with two identical sets of kitchen utensils, but no kitchen table, for example—but they would work it out. They would just have to shop together for the furniture that remained.

They had hired a couple neighborhood boys to help them move, and Levi pitches in as well. Erwin, like an idiot, wants to help despite not being able to see where he’s going. Levi has to periodically drop what he’s doing and walk next to Erwin, pulling or pushing on his shoulder to tell him to turn right or left in order to avoid walking into a wall or tripping over a box. Erwin simply smiles to himself and follows Levi’s instructions, thanking Levi every time he makes it to a room safely.

By evening they have moved in. Everything they will immediately need is unpacked, and everything else has been pushed against the wall so Erwin doesn’t trip over anything. Levi makes a simple meal of toast and eggs (all the food they have with them—they’ll have to purchase groceries tomorrow) and guides Erwin to the counter when it’s prepared. They eat standing next to each other. Levi looks around his new home, staring at their sparse kitchen and what he can see of their sitting room through the doorway, at the garden outside the kitchen windows. And at Erwin. Erwin, for his part, looks content. His unseeing eyes are calm, and he smiles as he chews. Finally, when Erwin has finished eating, he says, “It’s a nice place, isn’t it?”

Levi puts down his fork to squeeze Erwin’s hand, the signal they have established to mean “yes”. Yes, it is a nice place.

*****

Erwin has not brought up the moment—or the kiss—they shared the day before they moved out, and Levi cannot mention anything, so the matter rests. No similar moments follow, though. They are no more than two retired comrades sharing a home together. Levi thinks it’s probably easier that way. There’s no reason to make their new home dramatic or emotional in the case that Erwin doesn’t return his feelings. It’s enough for him to just be with Erwin. To see him when he gets up in the morning, emerging from his bedroom with messy hair and sleep in his eyes, and to see him again before he goes to bed at night. It’s enough to cook meals with the food Erwin brings back from the market. Just being here is enough.

The lifestyle is strange, though. Retired life is unsettling for both of them. They still wake up at the crack of dawn, accustomed to a soldier’s schedule, but there’s nothing to do that early. Levi makes breakfast and Erwin brews them tea, and then they sit in silence (once Levi purchases a set of kitchen chairs) and eat as the sun comes up. When the food is almost gone, Erwin wonders aloud what they will do that day. He lists different tasks they can accomplish—purchasing some chairs for the sitting room, going to the market for groceries, doing the laundry. Levi listens with a hand in Erwin’s hand so he can give a squeeze for agreement or, the opposite of a squeeze, lifting his hand away for a bit, to say no.

Often, Erwin will go out and do errands while Levi stays behind and cleans (though Levi goes with him whenever he can. The last thing he needs is for Erwin to trip over something in the middle of the filthy street and hurt himself.) It’s dull, but the pattern of life starts to grow on Levi. He likes cleaning up the house, likes being in control of this little corner of the world. Levi even tries to grow some vegetables in the garden, though most of the plants die. He doesn’t have much experience in gardening

One morning, as they’re finishing off their morning tea, Erwin says, “I do wish I could read.”

Levi looks up at Erwin and watches as the rising sun paints his face. Erwin insists on facing the sun and feeling its warmth while it rises every morning. Levi loves the sight of Erwin’s features lightening and turning golden.

“I have collected so many books over the years that I never had time to read. Now I have all the time in the world, but I can no longer read.” He smiles sadly, but says no more.

Levi puts his teacup down and gets up from the table. When he returns, one of Erwin’s books is in his hands.

“Where did you go?” Erwin asks. As Levi puts the book on the table and opens it to the first page, Erwin sits up straighter. “Is that a book? But how do you plan to . . .”

Levi takes Erwin’s hand in his own and lies it flat, palm up. He pushes down the fingers, making sure the surface of his hand is even, and begins to trace an index finger fingers over it. Levi forms three letters, and then stops to look up.

“. . . the,” Erwin says quietly. “Did that spell ‘the’?”

Levi squeezes.

“Keep going.”

So Levi does. He traces out one word at a time, and then waits for Erwin to say the word aloud. It’s slow going, but they are able to get through two pages of the book in this way.

“Levi. Thank you,” Erwin says when they finish for the day. His words soft, and the tone, for some reason, reminds Levi of the incident the day before they moved.

The next day, Levi “reads” to Erwin right after dinner. It becomes a regular part of their routine after that. When they finish eating, Levi will blow out all but one candle and sit at the table with Erwin, one hand cupping Erwin’s while the other carefully traces out words letter by letter. Erwin breathes out each word, and Levi savors the feeling of Erwin’s skin and the reverent tone of Erwin’s voice. He can never remember what each book was about afterwards, but he can remember exactly what it was like to help Erwin read it.

Then, when the candle begins to burn down, the two of them go into their separate rooms. Levi watches Erwin disappear into his bedroom, waits for Erwin’s door to close before he enters his own. That’s usually the only time when he thinks back to the night they kissed, and wonders what happened then, and what happened since then, and what would happen if he were to follow Erwin into his bedroom.

But he never does.

*****

Levi jolts awake one night and forgets where he is. He sits up and searches for his gear, wondering who is in danger before his eyes take in his surroundings and his heart rate slows down. He’s here, and he’s safe. But if that’s the case, what woke him?

A cry floats to his ears from across the hall, and Levi understands. It’s Erwin. And he’s yelling in his sleep.

The yell comes again, and this time Levi thinks he hears the words “get down.”

Levi gets out of bed and steps barefoot across the cold wood of his floor. He crosses the dark hall and enters Erwin’s bedroom. Erwin lies on his bed, brows furrowed and mouth open. His legs twitch under the covers.

“No,” he mutters. “Don’t . . . look out!”

Levi hurries across the room to stand by Erwin’s bed. He presses a hand on Erwin’s shoulder and gives the slightest shake.

“No!” Erwin bolts upright and grabs Levi’s wrist. His grip is vice-like, and he stares wildly around him. “Where am I?” he demands. “Where did you take me? Why can’t I see?”

And at the last question, Levi’s heart breaks. He wishes he could speak, just to say something comforting. But all he can do is reach out his other hand and carefully strokes Erwin’s face, hoping that the feeling would help calm Erwin down.

“What . . .” Erwin starts at the touch at first, and Levi pulls away. His unseeing eyes still dart around, but his breath is growing calmer. Levi tries again, and this time Erwin turns into the touch. “. . . Is that Levi?”

Levi moves his hand off of Erwin’s cheek to squeeze the knuckles of the grip around his wrist. Immediately, Erwin’s hold loosens. He raises his hand up to Levi’s face and passes his fingers over Levi’s cheeks and eyebrows and nose, taking a good look in the only way he can. It’s the first time Erwin has looked at Levi since that day. Levi closes his eyes and sighs, concentrates on the feeling of those fingers.

“I was dreaming,” Erwin says. He drops his hand to Levi’s shoulder and rests it there. The hold is firm, as though trying to keep Levi in place. “I was back on an expedition. The titans were getting everyone. Even you.” Then, quieter this time, “even you.”

Levi raises his hand back to Erwin’s face and cups his cheek as if to say, “I’m here.” Erwin leans into it, and Levi hopes it helps. They sit in the darkness like that, the seconds passing away slowly, and Levi wants to stay. He really, really wants to stay, but eventually Erwin tells him he’s alright, go back to bed.

Levi finds that that isn’t the last of the nightmares. The next night, and the night after, he again hears Erwin speaking in his sleep, yelling commands and warnings to imaginary soldiers. Each time, Levi goes to wake him.

The fourth night, Erwin pulls Levi forward and rests his head against Levi’s chest. The movement startles Levi, and he finds his arm around Erwin’s shoulders to balance himself before he knows what’s happening. He keeps it there until Erwin pulls away, muttering “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about this. Go back to sleep.”

The fifth night, Levi follows Erwin into his bedroom when it’s time to go to sleep.

“Levi?” Erwin asks. “Why are you here?”

Levi takes Erwin’s hand in his own and traces out the word “nightmares.”

“Nightmares,” Erwin says. “You want to stay in here to help with the nightmares?”

Levi squeezes.

“Levi, you don’t need to stay here for me. It’s not fair to you to keep you from sleeping in your own bed.”

Levi glances at Erwin’s bed and can’t think of anything more fair. So in response, he walks over to the bed and climbs in, knowing Erwin can hear his footsteps.

“Really, I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but it’s not necessary.”

Levi noisily settles himself into the covers, so Erwin sighs and says, “Very well. Thank you, Levi.”

He slides into bed next to Levi. The bed is wide enough to fit two people but small enough that they are almost touching. Levi can smell Erwin, can hear him breathing. He suddenly feels very strangely warm.

“I hope I don’t bother you,” Erwin says before dropping off to sleep.

Levi wants to tell Erwin that he’s never a bother, that this is so much better than being alone in his room. But he can’t. And perhaps that’s for the best. He doesn’t want Erwin to know just how soft he’s gone in his retirement.

That night, Erwin doesn’t have any nightmares.

*****

Levi continues to sleep in Erwin’s room, even when Erwin protests that he’s fine, that he hasn’t had a nightmare in days, that Levi really should go back to his own room. The protests are always short, and they seem rather weak to Levi. For someone who has commanded a military branch, staged a coup, withstood torture, the brief comments and mild pleading don’t quite seem to fit. Perhaps Erwin, too, has gone soft in his retirement.

(Or perhaps, maybe, he might like having Levi there.)

Levi sometimes wakes up before Erwin. He watches Erwin in the gray, pre-dawn light, or sometimes he closes his eyes and inches closer and listens to the peaceful, even breaths. This is enough. He doesn’t need anything more.

(He thinks.)

This arrangement continues for about a week until Levi finds one morning that, this time, Erwin has woken up first. He opens his eyes to see cloudy blue ones gazing unseeing at an area just above Levi’s face.

Levi stretches and turns over to face Erwin. He looks at Erwin and wishes he could ask what he’s thinking about.

“Are you awake?” Erwin whispers.

Levi reaches under the blankets to search for Erwin’s hand. He gives a squeeze, keeps his hand lying next to Erwin’s.

“May I look at you?”

Levi swallows. Gives Erwin’s hand another squeeze. When Erwin raises his fingers to Levi’s face, Levi turns into the touch.

This look seems to take longer than the last two. Erwin’s fingers pause every so often on Levi’s cheek, Levi’s forehead, Levi’s nose. Levi wants to ask what he’s doing, but he can’t, and so he just focuses on the touch.

When Erwin’s finished going over Levi’s face, his hand continues traveling. It drops down the side of Levi’s face, brushes against his shoulder, lingers on Levi’s collarbone. Levi holds his breath and waits to see what Erwin will do.

But Erwin sits up after that. He removes his hand and gets out of bed. “I wish I could truly see you this morning,” Erwin says before stepping out of the room. When Levi manages to follow him, he’s putting water on for the tea as usual.

*****

That night, Levi prepares for bed quickly. He sits down under Erwin’s blanket and watches as Erwin strips off his shirt and splashes water from a basin onto his face. Levi watches the shift of Erwin’s back muscles as he bends down and thinks back to that morning, the comment Erwin had made and the way his fingers had lingered at the top of Levi’s chest.

That’s when Levi manages to admit to himself that he had been lying to himself. This is not enough. This is not even close to enough

Levi gets out of bed. He crosses the room to stand just behind Erwin.

“What is it?” Erwin asks.

Levi couldn’t answer that even if he could speak. He doesn’t know what it is. He doesn’t know why he’s here or what he’s feeling or what he hopes to get out of this. So, just like before, he reaches out and takes Erwin’s hand.

Just like before, Erwin’s head turns down out of habit. He gasps a little, and then his relaxes into the touch.

“Levi,” Erwin whispers. Levi follows the steps he took the day before they moved. It isn’t hard to remember—he’s thought through every second of that moment for weeks. Levi cups Erwin’s hand between both of his, strokes Erwin’s knuckles with his thumb.

“Oh.” And Erwin gets it, as he always does. “Levi . . . I’m sorry I never brought up what happened that day,” he says. “The . . . kiss.”

Levi drops Erwin’s hand. Erwin’s hesitation told him everything. He doesn’t want to push this further.

“I didn’t want to press anything that would lead to discomfort,” Erwin says. “I thought that if you truly . . . truly felt as you seemed to insinuate you felt, well, then things would progress naturally. But we have such a peaceful living arrangement, I didn’t want to disturb it with unwarranted . . . admissions of feeling.”

Levi stares up at Erwin, who’s wearing a controlled expression that Levi knows hides discomfort. It takes Levi a moment to realize what Erwin is saying, and when he does he’s furious. He’s furious because the reason he’s been lying to himself and hiding his own feelings from himself, is because this idiot had returned his sentiment _the whole fucking time_ and was afraid to mention it.

So Levi shoves him.

He places his palms up against Erwin’s bare chest and pushes, not nearly as hard as he can, just hard enough to make Erwin take a step back and to get his point across.

“I’m sorry,” Erwin says, righting himself. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”

Levi has trouble believing this. He thinks he’s given enough hints, despite trying not to. He shoves him again.

“I’m sorry. You’re right, you’re right. I’ve . . .” Erwin smiles, just the slightest bit. “I’ve been blind,” he says.

Levi could smack him. He rests his palms up against Erwin’s chest and considers shoving him again, but instead opts for a more enjoyable action.

Levi leans his head down and rests it between his hands, forehead placed on Erwin’s chest. He can feel Erwin’s heartbeat like this.

Erwin breathes out, and Levi focuses on the feeling of his chest sinking in. “Levi, can you forgive me?”

Levi does nothing, just keeps his face burrowed against Erwin’s chest. Erwin brushes his fingers through Levi’s hair, and Levi is wrapped up in Erwin’s scent and warmth and the feel of his skin.

But Erwin pulls away eventually, and Levi’s contemplating shoving him again when he takes Levi’s hand and leads him to the bed. Erwin sits down on top of the covers and draws his legs up underneath him, so Levi mirrors him. They’re facing each other, Levi in just his sleep shift and Erwin in just his trousers, kneeling on top of the bed and waiting for someone to make the next move.

Erwin is the one to act first. He asks, “May I look at you?” and this time he holds out his hand in expectation of the response. Levi squeezes, so Erwin moves closer.

“May I look at all of you?” Erwin asks again, voice lower. And again, Levi squeezes.

So Erwin pulls Levi’s sleep shift over his head, and now Levi’s bare but for his underwear. His skin feels cold, and he’s keenly aware of exactly what’s exposed, exactly how much of his hipbones and thighs he’s given Erwin permission to touch.

Erwin’s hand moves agonizingly slowly on its journey. He starts at Levi’s right shoulder, drops his fingers over Levi’s collarbone and then spreads his hand across Levi’s chest. The sudden heat of Erwin’s touch causes Levi to gasp and shudder. The air is still cool, but a warmth that seems to stem from Erwin’s hand starts to spread through his body. Levi sits still, mesmerized, as Erwin’s hand continues to travel.

Erwins fingers swirl around Levi’s left nipple, causing Levi to gasp, before continuing down Levi’s ribs and onto his abdomen. The hand reaches his hip and slides to his back, leaves sweet caresses up and down Levi’s spine. Levi inches forward to make the reach easier for Erwin, and Erwin responds by humming in pleasure. He pauses his hand on the small of Levi’s back, the pads of his fingers dipping downwards.

Levi understands what Erwin wants, and so he reaches behind him to give his hand a squeeze before sliding his underwear off.

He has to squirm a little to get them off, balance his weight on one leg and then the other to maintain his kneeling position. When they’re off, Levi lets them drop off the side of the bed and onto the floor.

Erwin’s hand hasn’t moved the whole time. Levi looks down, realizes he’s already a little hard, wonders if he should try to stop this before he gets any worse. But Erwin’s hand has begun to travel again, hesitantly now, as though unsure of what he’s allowed. The touch rests on Levi’s right hip and sinks down to his thigh, leaving a feeling of fire in its wake. Levi sighs and leans in. He braces his hands against Erwin’s shoulders, but arches his back to keep his erection from touching Erwin. The movement inadvertently pushed back against Erwin’s hand, and Erwin moans and squeezes Levi’s thigh.

Levi gasps. His head drops down to Erwin’s right shoulder, unable to hold himself up. All his senses seem focused on the hand on his thigh and the strength in that grip.

The hand begins moving again. Erwin spreads out his palm and slides it upwards, cups the place where Levi’s ass meets his leg, caresses Levi’s cheek. It’s all Levi can do to keep from collapsing. His face is pressed up into the crook of Erwin’s neck, and his hands have clamped down tightly onto his shoulders for support.

Erwin squeezes again, and Levi takes in a sharp, shocked breath. Before he can stop himself, he squirms into that touch, wiggling his hips back and forth.

“Levi.” Erwin turns his head so that his words brush across Levi’s ear and disappear into the back of his neck. “You’re beautiful. Thank you for letting me see you.”

Levi responds by pressing his lips into the nearest place they can reach, the base of Erwin’s neck right above his collarbone. Then he kisses him again, lifts his head to give another kiss a little higher up Erwin’s neck. Starts kissing wherever he can, starts kissing every inch he can reach. Levi wants to taste every little bit of Erwin. He wants to know exactly what each inch of skin feels like under his lips. He spends a dozen kisses on the right side of Erwin’s neck alone, but he can’t get any further before Erwin turns his head to meet Levi’s lips.

He misses at first—that’s to be expected, and Levi only finds the eagerness endearing. Erwin’s only eyes, after all, are still on Levi’s ass, alternating between exploring and caressing and gripping, every movement making Levi lurch. Levi is thankful, for once, that he cannot speak. He doesn’t know what kind of noise he would be making if he could.

When Erwin tries again, he locks with Levi’s lips perfectly. Their mouths crash together, unpracticed lips searching for purchase, tongues darting out in exploration. Levi tastes Erwin’s breath on his tongue and swallows it, desperate to keep even that little part of Erwin

Suddenly, Erwin gasps, and a few seconds later Levi realizes that it’s because he’s failed to keep his erection away. In their frenzied kissing, it had touched Erwin’s stomach. Erwin removes his hand and snakes it around to Levi’s front, circles his fingers around Levi’s length and gives one slow, exploratory stroke.

Levi throws his head back, mouth open, and shudders into the touch. The hand drops away, and he bucks his hips up, desperate for more of that warmth.

“Oh, Levi,” Erwin breathes. “Is this for me?” The tips of his fingers return to take a closer look. They circle around his tip, trace a path down his length, caress his balls. Levi’s panting now. He squirms under every touch, desperate for more.

“You are so beautiful,” Erwin says. “So, so beautiful. Thank you, Levi. Thank you for this. Please, lie back for me.”

Levi’s not sure why he asks that, but he obeys. He scoots backward and lies down on top of the blanket, knees bent. As he watches, Erwin feels for where Levi is and finds the bottom of Levi’s right leg. He moves himself forward, positioning himself between Levi’s knees, and drags his hand up Levi’s calf and across Levi’s thigh. He’s smiling as he does. Levi can’t look away.

Erwin’s hand wanders over to Levi’s penis and rests there, fingers lazily brushing up against its side. “Consider this my apology for being so oblivious of your feelings,” Erwin says. He lowers his head, and Levi understands out what’s happening barely a second before Erwin’s lips close around his tip.

Levi gasps sharply at the sensation as Erwin sucks gently on his head. Then Erwin pulls off, mouth making a slight popping noise as he does, and Levi involuntarily arches his back at the sudden lack.

Erwin’s hand moves to Levi’s hips and pushes him back down onto the bed. He draws his tongue slowly up the underside of Levi’s shaft before taking it back into his mouth.

This time, Erwin takes in much more of Levi’s length. His tongue swirls around the tip and presses into his slit before he lowers his head almost to Levi’s balls. Levi can feel the heat of Erwin’s mouth and the press of his tongue. Then Erwin begins to suck, moving his head up and down in a steady rhythm, it’s all Levi can do to not unravel under the sensation.

It’s only Erwin’s commanding hand on his hip that keeps him from thrusting up. Levi is utterly, completely under Erwin’s power. He can’t even control his breathing anymore; Levi’s panting hard, gasping sharply at every new touch and letting out long, shuddering breaths at each slow suck or lick. Levi can’t speak,  but he’s pretty sure he’s communicating his enjoyment regardless.  Erwin hums in pleasure, sending vibrations through Levi’s penis that make him see stars.

Erwin pulls off, laps up a bit of dripping pre-cum, and starts peppering kisses along the inside of Levi’s thigh. “Oh, Levi,” he mutters. Levi has his head thrown back and his eyes closed, so he can only feel and hear Erwin as he breathes out his words. “Levi . . . so beautiful . . .” He begins kissing Levi’s balls and the base of his penis, sweet, beautiful touches as arousing as anything else. “Is this good for you?” he asks. “Are you enjoying this?”

Levi barely manages to raise his hand and give the back of Erwin’s a squeeze.

“Good,” Erwin says, and he takes Levi back into his mouth.

It doesn’t take long after that for Levi to come. He taps the back of Erwin’s hand a couple times, and Erwin pulls off just in time. A spray of come lands on Erwin’s lips, and he doesn’t seem to mind, just licks it off with a content smile on his face.

Levi’s left an unraveled mess lying limp on Erwin’s bed.

Erwin lovingly strokes Levi’s thigh and gives him a kiss on the knee. “I’ll get you cleaned up,” he says. He moves to get off the bed, but Levi reaches out and grabs him by the waistband of his pants, stopping him.

There is no way Levi is allowing that to happen without some sort of repayment. He clambers up onto his knees, ignores the mess on his stomach and pulls down on Erwin’s pants. Erwin’s underwear—and the bulge in them—are exposed. Levi tugs down the underwear and takes ahold of Erwin’s bare penis.

He’s too exhausted to fully return the favor, but this will have to do. Levi leans his forehead against Erwin’s chest as he starts moving his hand up and down. Erwin moans, softly but just enough to encourage Levi. He moves his hand faster and starts kissing along Erwin’s chest. Levi’s tongue finds one of Erwin’s nipples and he works at that spot, kissing it and tracing his tongue around it. He lowers his other hand, uses it to cup Erwin’s balls, and Erwin comes moaning Levi’s name.

They’re frozen, leaning up against each other. They’re both filthy, both panting, both realizing what had just happened. Levi keeps his head against Erwin’s chest and Erwin has his arm wrapped his arm around Levi, and Levi has no idea how long they stay like that before Erwin sits up and says, “Let’s get ourselves cleaned up.”

Erwin and Levi cross the room to the washbasin. Erwin wets a towel, and Levi uses it to wipe them both off. Then Erwin carries the towel to the laundry while Levi changes the blanket to a clean one. He finishes just as Erwin returns, and they both climb into bed. Neither of them bother to put any clothes on.

Levi blows out the candle on the nightstand and wiggles closer to Erwin. Erwin feels his movements, reaches out his arm to wrap it around Levi and pulls him closer. Levi allows him to, pillows his head on Erwin’s bicep and throws one arm across Erwin’s chest. Their legs tangle up in each other, and it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

Erwin raises his hand and runs his fingers through Levi’s hair. A soft chuckle breaks through his lips. Levi props himself with one arm and looks down at Erwin, trying to figure out what he’s laughing at.

“Well,” Erwin says, “that happened quickly.”

Levi smiles lies back down. He nestles his head closer to Erwin’s side.

“We’ll have to get some oil to use as lubricant the next time we go shopping . . .” Erwin mutters, as simply and obviously as if he were discussing picking up some vegetables.

But it’s not simple to Levi. He lifts up his head again, looks at Erwin, who’s now closed his eyes and has an easy, contented expression on his face. He wants to kiss him, but he doesn’t want to disturb him, so he lowers his head to Erwin’s chest, right above his heart. Levi presses his ear to the sound of Erwin’s heartbeat and lays his fingers down so that they, too, can feel the rhythm. Just before surrendering himself to sleep, Levi presses a soft kiss right above Erwin’s heart. 

“Oh, Levi,” Erwin whispers, and, as always, he understands. “I love you, too.”

Levi’s last thought before he drifts off to sleep is that this, falling asleep just like this, is enough.

**Author's Note:**

> The initial plan was for this to be the last fic in this verse, but who knows? I'm growing attached to this stuff.
> 
> Anyway, if you like these fics than you should totally check out the fic "Four Years Later." What do they have in common, you ask? Why, they're both written by someone extremely talented, witty and good-looking, that's what.


End file.
